Chapter 17
“It’s cozy and beautiful here,” Brianna said to me as we rode our horses to our destinations, “It makes you feel calm. Don’t you agree?”
I nodded my head smiling at her, “Yes, it does. I’m so amazed with this place.” She just smiled proudly.
“Ahh... we almost there,” she said when we heard a waterfalls sound ahead and we speed up to the place.
“Wow, amazing,” I praised again. I was too eager to get off the horse that my foot stuck on the saddles making me fall on my butt. “Ouch,” I yelp.
Brianna immediately rushed to my side, “Are you ok, Rick?” she asked concernedly.
“I’m fine. It’s good to know that you’re concerned about me,” I smiled staring into her beautiful grey eyes. She bushed before immediately stood up.
I stoop up too and I brushed the dirt off my butt. I looked at our surrounding. Brianna leads me to towards the stream ahead and we let our horses freely eating the grass and drink the water from the stream. Not far ahead, there’s a waterfall and the water look glistering from our view.
"This place is beautiful," I agreed with her, "So now I know all you hiding place. You can't hide from me anymore," I teased while she just laughed again.
We didn’t waste anymore time snapping our camera and exploring the place. After hours, we sat down and enjoying our foods that’s Elisa has packed for us.
I looked at Brianna who was eating her donut. She licked her tongue on her lips and looked at me weirdly, “Is there anything on my face?” she chuckled.
I smiled, “You have a cream on your lips,” I said as I moved my thumb and wipes the cream on her bottom lips. Her lips felt so soft. I wonder how it felt on my lips. I could see she’s blushing when I l lick the cream from my thumb.
She immediately stood up again and wiped her butt, “Let’s go fishing,” she said and took the fishing rod without waiting for my respond. I stood up and followed her.
“I think this is a perfect place to fish,” I suggested when we reached a spot full with rocks. The water so crystal clear and I could see small fishes swimming near the bay.
“Yeah, agreed,” said Brianna as she sat down on a large rock where I placed our bait. She handled to me one of the rods. I was about to ask whether she need my help to put the bait on her fishing hook when I saw her putting it on like an expert.
“You have done this several times, don’t you?” I smiled at her.
She chuckled, “Yep, many times.”
“With whom?” I couldn’t stop myself asking.
“Dad, but most of the time I’m alone. If you eat fish for dinner, it was I who provides that dinner,” she told me proudly.
“Wow, impressive,” I smiled, “So where are you favorite spot?” I asked her.
“Not far away from the stable where the James can keep his eyes on me,” she informed me as she cast her fishing rod.
“You and James, you both seems close,” I pointed out couldn’t help the jealous feeling inside me.
“Well, Dad doesn’t allow me to be on my own away from the stables except if I’m with someone he can trust. He scared something might happen to me. He said you never know.”
“Yeah, he is right,” I nodded my head casting my rod as well, “You can never know. Anything could happen, especially someone as beautiful as you.”
“Well, I’m not scared,” she scoffed, “I have black belt in Karate. I know how to defend myself.”
“Yes you probably do but when it happen, you might suddenly forgotten how to defend yourself,” I said to her.
She twisted her lips, “You sounded just like dad but I know both of you are right.”
“So you promised to always be careful?” I asked her.
She smiled, “Yes, sir I will,” she mocked as if talking to her dad.
“Good girl,” I teased her back, “Next time you want to go fishing, ask me to join,” I playfully instructed.
“Aye, aye, sir,” she chuckled.
“You really like James, don’t you?” I asked again. I still need some clarification from her feelings towards James. I hope she didn’t have any relationship with James
“Yeah I do,” she nodded and I could feel a jealous feeling crept into my chest when I heard her respond, but felt relieved when she added, “He’s like a brother I never have.”
Suddenly there I could feel something pulling at the end of my rods, “I think I caught something,” I happily told Brianna.
“Yes,” she cheered before settling her rod and took the net to assist me. “Keep the line tight. Don’t let it get away.”
“Never,” I screeched as I reeled and pulled the rod at the same time, “I think I caught a big one,” I said to her but she laughed so loudly when she saw at the end of my hook.
“Wow, so big” she teased as she pulled the string towards me and showing me what I caught, a big black boot instead.
“Ha, ha, so funny,” I mocked as I took the boot and throw It out of my sight.
“Hey there something at the end of my rod,” she told me happily.
“Yeah let’s hope this time it not the other side of the boot,” I said to her making her laughed.
“Let’s hope not,” as she reeled her rod and I getting ready with the net. “Ha, ha,” she laughed, “Look and learn my friend,” she proudly said as she saw what she caught, a very big fish.
“Yeah, yeah,” I scorned while she continued laughing. I pulled the end of the rod and put the fish into the net I’m holding. “Wow, she’s big,” I told her, “I think it might be about 10 pounds.”
“Wow, our dinner,” she said, “Faster now, take a picture of me with the fish and you with the boot. I want to upload in my Facebook. Let’s show the world I caught a big fish while you going to eat the boot for dinner,” she teased.
“Ha, ha, so funny,” I mocked a laughed at her, “I don’t care, it’s my turned,” I said to her taking my rod and cast it toward the middle of the stream, “I want to catch something bigger than yours. I’m not going to be defeated by a girl.” She just laughed at my words.
I did catch something, a fish bigger than hers, “Ha, ha, I could tell everyone that dinner on me too,” I smirked at her proudly showing my catch. She rolled her eyes. “Hey take some photo of me with this fish. I want to upload into my facebook. I need to tell everyone that I caught a bigger fish than Brianna,” I grinned teasingly at her. She poked her tongue at me but still took my camera and snapped the picture. We took a picture of us together with our catch for that day.
“I think these two fish is enough for tonight’s dinner,” said Brianna to me and then look at the sky, “I think it’s going to rain soon. We better get back before we caught in the rain,” she suggested.
I looked at the sky and saw the dark cloud is moving fast, “Yeah, agreed,” I nodded my head and packed out things.
We proudly showed our catch to Elisa and Mike when we got home just in time before the rain started to pour.
“What you want to do with it?’ asked Elisa looking at me.
“Grill would be nice,” I said to her.
“Yeah, grill would be great,” agreed Brianna, “Let me do it,” she suggested.
“I’ll help,” I offered myself.
“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” said Mike smiling happily at me, “Both of you cook while, the rest of us rest.”
“Yep, good idea,” smiled Elisa, “I’ll put the “DO NOT DISTURB SIGN” outside the door, so no one to come in until you both finish,” both she and Mike winked at me before exiting from the kitchen. I just blushed at them while Brianna already busy cleaning the fish.
“So what should I do to help?” I asked her rubbing my hands together eager to help.
“Why don’t you go and preheat the grill first,” Brianna said to me.
“Where is it?” I asked her.
“Near the swimming pool area,” she told me.
“Right,” I said before exiting to do as instruction. When I came back into the kitchen, Brianna already finished cutting the fish. “Wow, you really are fast,” I praised.
She smiled, “My late grandma thought me how to skin the fish,” she told me. “Have you heated up the grill?” she asked.
I nodded, “So what I need to do now?” I asked her and when I looked at the things on the cabinet I said to her, “Please don’t ask me to do the onions.”
She laughed, “I thought you said you’re good with onions,” she teased and I groaned making her laughed louder, “Alright, do the veggies,” she instructed.
“Hmm, I’ll do the salad,” I said to her and she looked at me in surprised, “I have my grandma secret salad dressing,” I proudly said to her.
“Really, wow,” she smiled, “Alright then. The salad is all yours but will you share the secret with me?”
“Most definitely,” I smiled back at her.
Our cooking together and this time is much different from our first one. This time, we were talking, sharing our secret and exchanging ideas on how to cook and served our dinner.
“Where do you learn how to cook?” I asked Brianna while she took the fish out from the grill.
“My grandma,” she said to me, “She taught me all the girls’ stuff while grandpa taught me all the boys’ stuff.”
“Hmm, so you are balance of the both,” I said to her.
“Yep,” she smiled. “Wow look at our fish. Isn’t she a beauty?”
I was looking at her when I said it, “Yes, the most beautiful thing ever.” She looked at me and when she realized that I’m actually looking at her, she blushed. We were staring and smiling at each other but my stupid hungry stomach spoil it for me as it growled loudly.
Brianna chuckled, “We better get in. I think someone is hungry,” and walked back into the kitchen. I rolled my eyes at myself before following her to the kitchen.